Expanded Beginnings

OOC spoilers
IC The spectre approaches him
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Kharr: *sighs* me neither
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Celi:...keelah

Calton: Great. *He and props himself against the wall, rubbing his arms through his suit so they're not as stiff, seeing as how he stood for stock still for a good while.*

*looks at the spectre*
Yes?

Kharr sighs
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Spectre: thought you'd find this useful. I forgot I already had one and bought a second on the citadel *he hands him a paladin*

*And Calton just makes sure his gear is in working order for the umpteenth in case a snipe shows up.*

keili: yeah I was surprised he had a crush on you

............
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Celi: so was I. I feel so bad for letting him down

OOC: Okay, seriously, I've got nothing for Calton right now. What the heck do you have planned? You've stumped at least three characters because there is nothing out of place when logic dictates there should be SOMETHING out of place!! *Sighs* Alright, I may have something but it's for Protectorate characters.

OOC something....long term

*takes the paladin and places it next to his helmet*
Thanks

OOC: WW1 British infantry helmet, made with modern materials ofcourse

OOC wut
IC "No problem. it packs a nasty punch."

keili: im just worried about him you know hes been acting different

OOC: -_- Long term enough that you stumped 3 characters for it? There is nothing for them to investigate. Nothing. There is nothing for them to do here.

Celi: I know *sighs*
OOC I know. this was nothing but foreshadowing
give it a couple of weeks or so

OOC: Okay....so...now what? I mean...I seriously have no clue what to do here now. I'm as stumped as our characters.

OOC: think of british infantry in ww1/2. My character has a helmet that resembles those worn by the infantry, along with a small rebreather and trench coat.

IC: good to know, how long till we hit the relay?

OOC unsure to be honest arken
IC "About twenty minutes"

OOC: *Sighs* Ugh...Anyway. I have to get some sleep. Night.

OOC honestly I think I'll join ya arken
sorry bush, but it's three in the morning here
gnight guys

keili: as long as we keep him busy he'll be okay

OOC:I had dinner, cya guys!

IC: good

OOC: Continue here, Gorath. I think we should pick up with our Protectorate characters.

IC: *There is knock on the door to Hector's office.*

OOC very true
IC Hector: Come on in.

*Lieutenant Cortez enters and salutes.*

Hector: *salutes* at ease soldier

*He drops the salute.*

Cortez: Permission to speak freely, sir?

Hector: granted.

Cortez: Well, first, and you've probably heard this a lot since you're the Supreme Admiral's new second, God have mercy on your soul, sir. Second, I need to know what type of man you are. There have been rumors.

Hector: what kind of rumors soldier? feel free to speak freely, I won't get offended.

Cortez: Well, rumor has it you've had the guts to stand up to the Supreme Admiral for one thing. I heard you said to his face that you don't agree with how we treat Turians and the Citadel races, for example.

Hector: I said exactly that, and I stand by that statement.

Cortez: I also heard that you managed to convince him to not fire on the Alliance Fifth Fleet. In short, I've heard a lot of rumors about you, and they're rumors I like. The Protectorate needs more people like you.

Hector: *smiles* I'm glad to hear that.

Cortez: And now I come to the part that could land me in military prison. Have you had this room checked for bugs and other surveillance devices?

Hector: I have. any and all have been disabled, I promise you that. I don't want anyone going to jail for exercising freedom of speech.

*Cortez laughs at this.*

Cortez: Wow, I didn't think I'd ever hear the Supreme Admiral's second utter those words. *Serious* Okay, look. We both know that Hannibal is a major threat to the galaxy. The few people who are in a position of power that could at least stem Hannibal's ambitions, be they politicians, military, parts of corporations, independent citizens, it doesn't matter he's shut them all up, and that includes Praetor Marcus, the first Praetor in years that had the backbone to stand up to Hannibal and even he was shut up. Rumor has it that Hannibal found the one thing that could shut up Praetor Marcus: his family.

Hector frowns at this

*Cortez notices but continues.*

Cortez: You're one of the few people he hasn't shut up or otherwise dealt with. Frankly, I'm tired of being afraid that I'll come home one day and find my family dead because I spoke out against Hannibal, and you strike me as the sort of man that the galaxy needs right now. You're not afraid to speak the truth and you talk back to men like Hannibal regardless of the consequences because you know that if you don't do something then nothing will be done. Hannibal needs to be dealt with. Every minute he's alive the galaxy is in danger of collapsing into war and we both know how Hannibal treats Citadel racers. He's always espousing crap like "justice for Shaunxi". If he has his way, he'll get his justice and it'll take the form of mountains of corpses, and plenty of them will be made of kids to young to even hold a rifle.

Hector: soldier, I'll be honest. the man scares the hell out of me. but I learned long ago that you gotta stand up to a bully. Sometimes the only way to shut up a barking dog is to bark back louder.

Cortez: Barking is all well and good, but when an animal is rabid it stops being a useful tool. We need to be ready to take him down before entire cities are nothing but radioactive scrap yards. Yes, I know the severity of what I'm suggesting, but you don't strike me as the type of man who is blind to what Hannibal can do. I'll be honest, I'm terrified of him, but if there's one thing my military career has taught is that heroes head towards the gun fire, not away from it. People need to stop running away from him before it's to late. *Sighs* A few months ago, I had an...interesting conversation with a few Quarians and a Salarian. You may have read the report. They said we were worse than Cerberus. When I was the age of most of the kids in the military these days I would have fought tooth and nail against that statement. Today though, I agree with it. We've gone from wanting to be left alone, prepared but left alone, to being nigh-genocidal xenophobes. Give Hannibal another couple decades and the schools will be teaching that mass murder is okay if it's directed at the Citadel.

Hector: And you trust me to do something about it? a man you've only just met?

Cortez: Good point, but the rumors I've heard about you give me reason enough simply because they're at least a glimmer of hope. And I don't expect you to do it alone. I'll be there the whole way, and there are other people who feel the same.

OOC: Okay, be honest. Do you think I'm heading towards a Consortium redux here? I'm honestly trying to create conflict via the highly fractured nature of the Protectorate. I'm trying to keep them neutral because the pendulum swings both ways. Thanks to Hannibal, it's been on one end for way to long...

OOC you didn't have the consortium instantly headed by a madman with this much control.
IC Hector: Well *chuckles* that gives me quite the confidence boost soldier. I know the risk you're taking in even talking to me right now.

OOC: To be fair, Hannibal is just the head of their military forces, the Senate and Praetors are the government, but I see your point. I'm still worried though since I've said that Praetor Marcus is one the people best positioned to undo a lot of what Hannibal did (and that's what worries me, he's not a xenophobe but he'll still want independence for the Protectorate...I'm trying to maintain a balancing act here...).

IC:

Cortez: And I think we both know the risks if we don't act. With the attack on Eden Prime, Hannibal is going to be out for blood. We need to do something about it, and I have an idea. It may even help us find evidence against Hannibal. The Senate and Praetors will have no choice but to stand up to him if we bring them enough evidence, and when they do, men and women like us will be there to break Hannibal's knees when he tries anything.

OOC well.... it's working
IC Hector: Good thinking

OOC: Am I really maintaining a balancing act here? I mean...sure, the Protectorate's impact on the RP has been fairly minor thus far, to where I could safely retcon them if I decided to...I really don't want a Consortium redux. I am so desperate to not do that. The Protectorate works in lore because Bioware laid the foundation and yet....I'm so concenred I'll bullox this up again!!!

IC:

Cortez: Those Quarians I mentioned, well, I did some fact checking with the boys and girls in the intelligence community. At least one of them has a connection to an independent mercenary group called the Dark Void. Rather interesting history really. It was started by Quarians and grew from there. There's just one problem, they're not exclusive and they don't discriminate. Convincing Hannibal to hire them to investigate the Eden Prime attack will be tough but it may be our best option to both find the bastard that orchestrated the attack and to help us find evidence against Hannibal.

OOC I know, I know, it's going fine don't worry about it
IC Hector: true. hmm...

OOC: Here's hoping.

IC:

Cortez: Look, I know they don't discriminate, hell, rumor has it they're mercs with morality. *chuckles* But they were started by exiles, outcasts, misfits, people who went against their kind's society for various reasons. We may be able to make the case that the Turians, Salarians, and all the other Citadel racers amongst their ranks would gladly help us against the Citadel. Hell, if we're lucky, Hannibal may even offer them amnesty if they help us.

Hector: you make a very good point

Cortez: Of course, I'm just a lieutenant, so you'll have to be the one to pitch the idea to Hannibal. That being said, I can suggest at least two other people who could go on this mission for us if we hire these mercs. The first is a young kid, I think his name was Garret. Scuttlebutt on the ship he and I were on at Omega says he got really friendly with one of those Quarians and was really open with her. I know, the kid could have problems with Citadel racers but we won't know till it happens but he's one of the few people to have actually had a real talk with any of these mercs. The second poor bastard is a good friend of mine, Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson. He's been a headache to Hannibal in the past so pitching his name into this assignment, which would keep him out of Hannibal's hair, may get the Supreme Pendajo to trust you a bit more. Course, there's always the danger of Hannibal pitching his own names if he buys the idea.

OOC: So...is that Staff Sergeant's name familiar?

OOC "Men, we led those dumb bugs out to the middle of nowhere to keep 'em from gettin' their filthy claws on Earth. But, we stumbled onto somethin' they're so hot for, that they're scramblin' over each other to get it. Well, I don't care if it's God's own anti-son-of-a-bitch machine, or a giant hula hoop, we're not gonna let 'em have it! What we will let 'em have is a belly full of lead, and a pool of their own blood to drown in! Am I right, Marines?"
IC Hector: I'll do my best. Thanks for the suggestions